Manel Kape might be the perfect candidate for Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) first Openweight fight of the modern era.
The promotion returned to Sydney, Australia for UFC 293 this past month (Sept. 9, 2023), featuring the usual mix of City Kickboxing (CKB) stars, including the now-former two-time Middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya. Tasked with Sean Strickland in the evening’s headliner, fans were anticipating a fun back-and-forth between the two personalities at the pre-fight press conference.
While Adesanya and Strickland did trade verbal strikes ahead of their in-Octagon clash, a surprise altercation nearly broke out between “The Last Stylebender” and Kape, who was originally set to take on Adesanya’s teammate, Kai Kara-France. According to the former RIZIN Fighting Federation Bantamweight titleholder, “Starboy,” he received an apology from Adesanya backstage.
“After all this talk [at the press conference], he came to me backstage ‘Hey, no disrespect, we are Africa, we’re brothers,’” Kape told MMA Fighting. “I said, ‘We are not brothers.
“‘Look, my problem is with Kai Kara, not with you. Why did you stand up? He can handle his business,’” he added.
Kape went on to defeat promotional newcomer, Felipe dos Santos, by unanimous decision at UFC 293 in a thrilling bout. The win extended the Flyweight title hopefuls current streak to four. Kape is ready for his next big challenge amongst the division’s top five. Whether it’s Kara-France or not, Kape will stand his ground in or out of the Octagon.
“Believe me, if he’s in the street with no cameras, I’ll eat you, too,” Kape said. “You are a man to back up your words. Because you’re just one [man], you’re tall, but I’ll eat you in the streets. Believe me. You don’t know what I’m capable of doing.
“He backed down again,” he concluded. “Ask them what he said to me backstage. No man, no size, I don’t fear them, and I’m undefeated in the streets.”